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Review Travel Expense Policies

These are the key MIT travel policies you need to know before taking a trip.

Obtain department approval and confirm cost objects

Be sure to communicate with your department’s Administrative or Financial Officer before you incur any travel-related costs. You are not allowed to approve your own travel.

Review sponsor guidelines

If your travel is related to a sponsored project, confirm that you can charge your travel to the project’s cost object. In addition, check to see if prior sponsor approval is required for travel.

Review reimbursable expenses

MIT allows costs such as transportation, lodging, and meals that relate directly to your travel. Be sure you understand MIT’s travel policies on unallowable and non-reimbursable expenses before you incur any costs.

You may use the MIT Travel Card for local travel and dining expenses. Itemized receipts are required for all local expenses regardless of amount.

Explore payment options

When paying your expenses for MIT-related travel, you have three options—cash, personal credit card, or an MIT Travel Card. If you use an MIT Travel Card, you avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses with your own funds. You will need to file a travel expense report in Concur for all charges on the MIT Travel Card within 30 days of the end of your trip. Review this FAQ on changes to the Travel Card Expense Reporting Policy which were implemented on January 3, 2017.

You may not purchase personal items with the MIT Travel Card under any circumstances.

Consider per diem option

A per diem is the right choice when you and your DLC decide that your trip will be so lengthy that keeping track of individual expenses will be unusually difficult or burdensome.

To travel domestically on a per diem basis, you must first get approval from your department head, laboratory director, or project supervisor. Once you have departmental approval, you must then submit your request to VPF Travel and Card Services for final approval. Review Process Per Diem Expenses before requesting permission for a domestic per diem. Follow these links to download the Excel per diem request form (Mac or Windows).

For international travel, your DLC can authorize per diem without prior approval from VPF Travel and Card Services.

The Details

Obtain department approval and confirm cost objects

Be sure to communicate with your department’s Administrative or Financial Officer before you incur any travel-related costs. You are not allowed to approve your own travel.

Review sponsor guidelines

If your travel is related to a sponsored project, confirm that you can charge your travel to the project’s cost object. In addition, check to see if prior sponsor approval is required for travel.

Review reimbursable expenses

MIT allows costs such as transportation, lodging, and meals that relate directly to your travel. Be sure you understand MIT’s travel policies on unallowable and non-reimbursable expenses before you incur any costs.

You may use the MIT Travel Card for local travel and dining expenses. Itemized receipts are required for all local expenses regardless of amount.

Explore payment options

When paying your expenses for MIT-related travel, you have three options—cash, personal credit card, or an MIT Travel Card. If you use an MIT Travel Card, you avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses with your own funds. You will need to file a travel expense report in Concur for all charges on the MIT Travel Card within 30 days of the end of your trip. Review this FAQ on changes to the Travel Card Expense Reporting Policy which were implemented on January 3, 2017.

You may not purchase personal items with the MIT Travel Card under any circumstances.

Consider per diem option

A per diem is the right choice when you and your DLC decide that your trip will be so lengthy that keeping track of individual expenses will be unusually difficult or burdensome.

To travel domestically on a per diem basis, you must first get approval from your department head, laboratory director, or project supervisor. Once you have departmental approval, you must then submit your request to VPF Travel and Card Services for final approval. Review Process Per Diem Expenses before requesting permission for a domestic per diem. Follow these links to download the Excel per diem request form (Mac or Windows).

For international travel, your DLC can authorize per diem without prior approval from VPF Travel and Card Services.

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Atlas

You can access all of MIT’s financial tools from Atlas.

Atlas, MIT’s self-service and administrative systems hub, provides an entry point for accessing MIT’s financial systems and tools. The VPF website will guide you through the related transactions and provide you with information and resources you need to complete your tasks.